Garden umbrellas or the like are usually supported by inserting the umbrella pole through a central aperture formed in a garden table. The lower end of this pole is then inserted into a container, via an aperture therein. The container is situated below the table and is usually filled with water or sand for added stability. However, in the absence of the table, this method of support is inadequate for supporting the considerable weight of a garden umbrella or the like.
Commonly used methods for supporting a rotary clothes line comprise inserting a length of tube or a spike into the ground. In the case of concrete patios, this involves a permanent installation which cannot be moved. In the case of inserting a tube or spike into a lawn, it is especially advantageous to be able to vary the position of the clothes line so that particular areas of the lawn do not get worn due to constant treading. Also, in wet weather, the ground becomes wet and muddy, resulting in the possibility of the installation working loose, which is clearly disadvantageous.
It is known to provide support to the stems of plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, runner beans, etc., and to support saplings throughout their early stages of growth. Typically, such plants or saplings are grown in easily transportable pots or receptacles, prior to being transplanted into the ground. Fruit bearing plants such as tomatoes generally require more support than, for example, young saplings which are inherently more rigid and carry less weight.
A commonly used method of supporting plant stems within plant receptacles, is to use lengths of bamboo cane, or the like, inserted vertically into the earth within the receptacle next to the plant. The stem of the plant may then be loosely tied to the cane in stages as the plant grows. However, a common problem when using bamboo canes, is that they provide only limited support in windy conditions, the canes themselves being easily damaged. It is particularly difficult to provide the plants with adequate support when using a cane inserted into the soil within a small receptacle, since the length of cane inserted within the limited depth of the soil within the receptacle is typically relatively short when compared with the overall vertical length of the cane. In the event that the support, in this case bamboo canes, collapses, then substantial damage occurs to the plant.
A plant support device has been disclosed in published Patent Specification GB2307170A which encloses the stem of a plant. However, although the arrangement disclosed in GB2307170A is clearly effective in supporting the stem of a plant as long as the support device itself is sufficiently stable, it is often difficult to ensure that the support device is in fact stable, thereby reducing its effectiveness. Furthermore, it is often the case that a simple cane, inserted into the soil within a plant receptacle, is more advantageous, under certain circumstances, than more complicated plant support devices, for instance if space is limited. Therefore, it is clearly advantageous to provide a plant support device, such as for example, that disclosed in GB2307170A or, alternatively, a simple cane or the like, with additional stability.
The present invention therefore seeks to provide an improved support device.